Carbureter.



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CABBURETER.

(Application filed July 25` 1898.)

2 Sheets-Shao( 2.'

(no indou.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. HOPKINS, OF EXOELSIOR,5MI'NNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO N.J. PINAULT, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CARBURETER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,365, dated April30, 1901.

Application led July 25. 1898. Serial No. 686.792. (No model.)

To all wil/m t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT I-I. HOPKINS, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Excelsior, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota,haveinvented certain new and usefulIm-` proveniente in Apparatus forBurning Fuel- Oils, of which the following is a specification.

The usual process employed in burning crude oil for fuel 'is to spraTthe oil into the 1o furnace by means of a jet of steam or hot air. Bythis means the oil is divided into a fine spray and is more 'or lesscompletely consumed as it is injected into the fire-box of the furnace.In the apparatus employed by me i5 the oil is placed in a series ofseparate recep-l tacles and is heatedV to a high temperature, and acurrent of superheated air is forced through` the oil in eachreceptacle, the same air, if pre` ferred, being passed through all ofthe recep-l` zo tacles. By this means the air is carbu reted, the amountof hydrocarbon vapor taken up by the air depending upon the number oftimes that the air is passed through the oil. The carbureted air or gasafter leaving the z5 last oil-receptacle is then passed through a seriesof heating-coils arranged in the furnace or through other suitable meansby which it is superheated. and fixed. This carbureted air or gas isthen conducted to an ordinary 3o fuel-gas burner arranged in thetire-box of a furnace, where it is burned in the same manner thatordinary fuel-gas is burned. After heated air has been passed throughthe oil in each receptacle'for'a certain length of time and a largeamount of hydrocarbon has been removed therefrom the residuum of the oilis then conducted into a suitable retort or heating-coil, where it issubjected to a higher temperature and converted into gas, and this 4ogas is then conducted to an independent fuelgas burner, preferablylocated in close proximity to the other gas-burner, and the gas from theresiduum of oil is there consumed. By using a series of receptacles forthe oil one of them may be cut out of the air-carbureting process, andthe oil therefrom may be burned and said receptacle be refilled with oilwhile the air-carbureting process is being continued with the otherreceptacles,and this 5o process may be continued indefinitely, so thatat any time after the process is started the gas formed by carburetingthe air and that from the residuum of oil will be burning simultaneouslyin the furnace.

Other features of my improved apparatus and the construction of one formof apparatus that I have devised for carrying ont my invention will beclearly understood from the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in 6o whichi Figurel is alongitudinal vertical section of an apparatus embodying my invention, a

portion of a steam-boiler and its furnace and the connection of theapparatus therewith` being also shown. Fig. 2 is a transverse verticalsection through the furnace, showing the location of the coils by whichthe air is superheated, by which the carbureted air is superheated, andby which the residuum of oil is 7o finally converted into gas beforebeing consumed.

In the drawings, 2 represents the fire-box of an ordinary steam-boilerfurnace of any preferred construction. 3 represents a por- 75 tion of asteam-boiler arranged in connection with said furnace and provided withan ordinary steam-dome 4 and with the usual fines 5. This boiler may beused for generating steam for power or heating purposes, a suitable pipe8o 6 being arranged to take the steam from the dome 4. This pipe may beprovided with an ordinary valve '7, and a safety-valve S of any ordinaryconstruction may also be arranged in connection therewith. The furnaceis preferably provided with a bridge-wall 9 and also with a breeching 10and stack ll. Within this stack, if preferred, may be arranged asuitable valve or damper l2. It will be understood, however, that I makeno claim to the 9o construction of the boiler or furnace and that I donot limit myself to the application of my invention to a furnace orboiler of any particular construction, as the same may be readilyadapted for use in connection with any preferred furnace or boiler.

I provide in connection with the apparatus a suitable air-pump 13, andas a means for driving said pump a small steam-engine 14. This enginewill ordinarily be supplied with roo steam through the pipe l5 from theboiler 3; but as it may in some instances be necestacles 26.

engine 14 from a separate or auxiliary boiler. The pipes 15 and 16 willbe provided with the` usual steam-valves 17, 18, and 19, by means' ofwhich the passage of steam through said pipes may be governed. Theair-pump 13y may be of any suitable or preferred construction, and as Imake no claim to invention in the construction of this pump I considerit unnecessary to show herein the details of its construction. From thepump 13 air is conducted throngh a suitable pipe 2O to a stor-kage-reservoir 21, and a pipe 22 leads from this reservoir and preferablyconnects with a coil of pipe 23, arranged in the breeching of thefurnace, so that the air passing there-1- through is snperheated orraised to a temperature of from 240 to 280 Fahrenheit, and. this is donewithout anyexpense, owing vto= the fact that by this location of thecoil the:-

Waste heat from the furnace is utilized in the heating of the air. A'suitable safety-valve Y24 and gage 25 will be preferably arranged in@connection with the tank 21 andthe pipe 22. I also provide a series ofoil tanks or recep- These'receptacles may be of anyf preferred size,shape, or construction, andl any-desired number of them may be employed.A steain-coil 27 is arranged in the-` lower part of each receptacle,these coils being Vconnected to a suitable steam-pipe 28,

that is in turn preferably connected to the steam-pipe 15, and each ofsaid coils is alsoy connected to a pipe 29, that is in turn connected toa suitable steam-trap 30. Each of the receptacles 26 is also preferablyprovided' with a sight-glass 31, so as to show the quantity', of oilcontained therein. From the superheat ing-coil 23 there preferablyextendsa pipe 32, and in this pipe there is located a pressure-re-fducng valve 33,which may be of any suitable or preferred constructionand the details of g which I therefore do not consider it necessaryg toshow in the drawings of this application. From the pressure-reducingvalve 33 connection is made to apipe 34,extending,preferably,l past allof the oil-receptacles 26. Thispipe is} provided with 'a series ofvalves 35, and fromi this pipe there are two series of branch pipes, oneleading to the bottom and the other to thel top of the oil-receptacles26. The branch pipes `37, which lead to the lower parts of the`oil-receptacles, are preferably provided with' valves 38, and the lowerends of such pipes preferably extend across the lower part ofl theoil-receptacles and are provided with aj series of perforations, so asto permit the es-l cape of the air into the lower part of such re`,ceptacles. If preferred, the ends of th'epipes' 37 may be made into theform of a coil, so as to cause an even distribution of the air oversubstantially the entire bottom of the recep-l tacles. The branch pipes39 connect the up`v effacer .burner 45, located in the wall of thelire-box 2 of the furnace. A suitable valve 46 is preferably located insaid pipe 42, and a branch pipe 47 preferably extends from the pipe 32and is provided with a suitable valve 48, and from this branch pipe 47there is a tube 49, connecting with the gas-burner 45. As the branchpipe 47 isconnected with the branch -pipe 32, so that the air passesfrom the pipe 32 directly into the pipe 47 without passing through thepressure-reducing'valve 33, the air that is forced intothe burnerthronghthe tube 49 will be at a high pressure, and this connection is provid edfor the purpose of'properly injecting the gas through said burner.Bymeans ofthe'steam passing through the pipesin the receptaclesthe oilis raised to a high temperature, 'preferably between 240 and 280Fahrenheit. I also prefer to provide in connection withthisapparatus asuitable oil-storage tank 50, which may be located at any convenientpoint. This tank is provided with a suitable pipe 51, by means of lwhichitmay be filled with oil from an oilcar orfother source of su'pply,'andsaid pipe 51 is preferably provided with a suitable valve 52. The oilwhich I prefer to use is crude hydrocarbon or petroleum containing allof the distillates or light hydrocarbons. The tank 50 may also beprovided with a suitable sightglass 53 and with a suitable coil ofsteam-pipe 54, that is connected through a pipe 55 with the pipe 15 andalso through va pipe 56 With'the steam-trap 30. Suitable valves 57 and58 are provided for controlling the admission of steam to the pipe 54.To the storage-tank 50 is connected an outlet-pipe 59, provided with asuitable valve 60,and this pipe59 is connected to a pipe 61, extendingalong all of the receptacles 26 and connected thereto'by means of thebranch pipes 62, each of which :is provided With a suitable valve 63.Thepipe 61 also extends to a point preferably near the furnace and isconnected to 'a pipe 64, that leads to an oil-storage tank 65,preferably located at a point above thefurn-'ace and boiler. Thisstorage-tank 65'is provided with a 'pipe 66, having a'suitable valve 67,through which air may be permitted to escape from' the tank as it isfilled with oil. After the tank is filled -with oil the valve 67 may beclosed. This tank is also provided withthe usual sightglass 68, and fromthis tank a pipe 69 leads to a series of transverse pipes 70, forming `aretort arrangedin the fire-box of the furnace, preferably at a pointnear the front of the bridgewall. The pipe 69 is provided with anordinary valve 7l and with a sight-glass 72 of IOO IIO

`erases any preferred construction, and .this pipe is made with aU-shaped portion extending from the bottom of the tank to the level ofthe pipe 61, and this U-shaped portion of the pipe 69 forms a liquidseal iu said pipe.4 The elevated storage-tank 65 is designed tc coutainthe amount of oil in any one of the receptacles 26, so that after asufficient amount of air has been passed through the oil in one of saidreceptacles said receptacle may be cut out of the air-carburetingoperation, and the oil therein may be forced immediately into theelevated tank 65, and then said receptacle may be refilled With oil fromthe storage-tank 50, and said receptacle may then be again connectedWith the air-carbureting process While the oil that was formerly in saidreceptacle is being slowly fed to the retort and converted into gas andthen conducted to the burner 77 from the tank 65. The series of pipesare preferably of large size. and they extend transversely through thefurnace, preferably at the rear of the firebox, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. The ends of these pipes are connected by suitable branch pipes 73,and each end of each pipe is also, preferably, provided with a suitableplug 74, by the removal of which any coke or solid matter which collectsvin the pipe may be readily removed therefrom. From the retortpipe 70the pipe 75 extends to a point near the front of the tire-box, where itis connected to a pipe 76, that is in turn con uected to the burner 77.The pipe 76 is also, preferably, connected directly to the pipe 6l at apoint between its connection with the pipe 76 and its connection withthe pipe 64. There is also, preferably, a pipe 80, provided with a valve81, leading from the pipe 47 to the burner 77. The receptacles 26 areeach preferably provided with a short pipe or tube 82, having a valveS3, by means of which the air in said receptacles maybe permitted toescape when it is desired to fill said receptacles with oil. Thestoragetank 50 mayalso be provided with a tube 84, having a valve 85, bymeans of which the air in said tank may be permitted to escape as thetank is filled with oil. The fire-box Will 4ordinarily be provided withthe usual grate-bars 86, and I prefer to cover these bars With suitablefirebrick 87, leaving one or more openings 88, through Which sufficientair may be supplied to the fire-box, if necessary, to provide completecombustion' of the oil and gas.

The operation of burning the oil by means of the apparatus hereindescribed or which may be carried out by other suitable apparatus is asfollows: Air is forced under pressure into the storage-tank 2l and ispassed from this tank through the pipe 22 into the heating-coil 23,Where it is superheated or raised to a temperature of from 240 to 280Fahrenheit. It is then passed through the pipe 32 and thepressure-reduction valve 33 into the pipe 34. The oil-receptacles 26 arefilled about one-half full of crude oil, this oil being forced into thereceptacles in the manner hereinafter described. ASteam is passedthrough the coils of pipe in the receptacles, and the oil is therebyraised to a high temperature, preferably to from 240 to 280 Fahrenheit.Heated air from the pipe 37 is passed into the bottom of the firstreceptacle and passes up through the oil, being carbureted thereby, andthe carbureted air passes out through the pipe 39 at the top ofthereceptacle and then down through the next branch pipe 37 into thebottom of the neXt receptacle, and so ou for as many receptacles as areprovided. The carbu reted air passing from the last receptacle passesthrough the pipe 42 into and `through a series of fines in theboiler,whereby said carbureted air is superheated. This carbureted airorgas is then conductedv to the burner 45 and burned in connect-ion with asupply of superheated air under pressure that is conducted to thc burnerthrough the pipe 47 and the tube 49. After the gas-making operation hasthus been continued for considerable time the first receptacle 26 is cutout by means of valves in the pipes, and the valve 63 at the bottom ofthe `receptacle is opened and air under pressure from the pipe 32 isforced into the top of said receptacle, driving the oil therefrom. Thisoil may be conducted directly to the burner 77 and burned there inconnection with a supply of heated air under pressure from the pipe 32;but it is preferably forced into the elevated storage-tank 65, and a newsupply of oil is forced into the receptacle 26 from the storage-tank 50.i This is done by opening the valve in the pipe leading from the pipe 32to said storage-tank 50 and permitting the air under pressure to enterthe tank 50 and force the oil therefrom. Vhen a sufficient amount of oilhas been forced into the receptacle 26, the valve 63 is closed and thegas-making operation is continued, as above. After the oil has beenremoved and consumed from the first receptacle that in the secondreceptacle is removed and burnedin a similar manner, and then saidreceptacle is recharged with oil and the operation is carried on in thismanner, the oil from each receptacle being removed after it has beenused for the desired length of time in the air-carburetiug operation.When the oil from one of the receptacles 26 is forced into the elevatedstorage-tank 65, it is then allowed to pass from said tank through theretort-pipe 70 and to the burner 77. As no air is permitted to enterthese retort-pipes 70, the oil may be subjected to a very hightemperature therein. I have generally employed a temperature of about750 Fahrenheit. By subjecting the oil to this high temperature in theretort-pipe 70 it is all converted into gas, With the exception of asmall amount of coke or residuum that is left in the retortpipes andwhich .may be removed through the openings at the ends of the pipes, ashereinbefore described. This oil after having IOO IIO

been converted into gas by passage through the retort-pipes is, asbefore stated, conducted to the burner 77, Where it is consumed inconnection with a supply of heated air that is passed to said burnerfrom the pipe 32. The gas-making operation, it will be seen, iscontinuous, and I have found by actual experiment that the oil may beused for a considerable period of time for making gas by passing acurrent of superheated air through the heated oil and that thereafterthe oil may be burned with just as good results as far as the productionof heat is concerned as it would have produced if burned without havingany.of the hydrocarbon removed therefrom by the passage of heated airthrough it.

It will be seen, therefore, that' I secure results not heretoforeattained by the usual operation of burning fuel-oil, as I practicallysecure, in addition to the results usually attained by the burning ofthe oil, the heat-producing eifects of the gas that is obtained by thepassage of the heated air through the voil and the superheating of theresulting gas or carbu reted air.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- A l. An apparatus for burning fuel-oils,comprising in combination, a plurality of oil-receptacles, and,V meansfor placing oil in or removing it from any one of said receptacles,means for heating the oil in said receptacles, means for passingsuperheated air independently through one or more of said receptacles, aburner for the carbureted air or gas connected to said receptacles, anda second burner for the residuum of oil independently connected to saidreceptacles, whereby the residuum of oil from any one of saidreceptacles may be burned while air is being carbureted in the otherreceptacles, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for burning fuel-oils, comprising, in combination, oneor more suitable ,oil-receptacles, and means for placing oil therein orremoving it therefrom, means for passing superheated air through thebody of oil in each of said receptacles, a burner connected with saidreceptacles for burning the 5o carbureted air therefrom, a suitableretort also connected with said receptacles, and in which the residuumof oil may be heated to a high temperature and converted into gas,

land a suitable burner connected with said retort, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination, with a series of oil receptacles or carbureters,means for heating oil therein, means for passing heated airindependently through the oil in one or more 6o of said receptacles, andmeans for burning said air after it is carbureted, of a storagetankconnected with said receptacles, means for forcing the oil from any oneof said receptacles into said storage-tank While the air continues topass through the oil in the other re. ceptacles, a retort connected tosaid storagetank, and a burner connected to said retort,

for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a series of oil re- 7o ceptacles orcarbureters, means for heating oil therein, means for passing heated airindependently through the oil in one or more of said receptacles, meansfor superheating the carbureted air, and a suitable burner therefor, ofa storage-tank connected to said receptacles, means for forcing the oilfrom any one of said receptacles to said storagetank, a retort, a burnerconnected with said retort, and means for passing the oil from 8o saidstorage-tank through said retort (where it is converted into gas) and tosaid burner, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 20th day of July,A. D. 1898, 85

